bowden



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. H. BOWDEN.

SHIPWREGK MESSENGER. w No. 592,689. Patented Oct. 26, 1897.

0 0 0 o o o o O O 00000000000 0 0 ||.l| IIllllll'll'lll'llll l llllll ll I! o 0 o 0 00 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 00 0 0 O O o O O O O O O O O O O O O O Fl G 2 m: noams PETERS c0. PNOTO-LJTNQ, wAsHmnmm nv c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

'(No Model.) I I M; H. BOWDEN. SHIPWRE'GK MESSENGER.

No. 592,689. Patented Oct. 26, 1897;

FIG... 5

with s M S iii/info E NITED STATES PATE T rFIcE.

MATTHEW HARRIS BOWDEN, OF EASTBOURNE, ENGLAND.

SHlPWRECK-MESSENGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,689, dated October 26, 1897. Application filed February 1, 1897. $erial No. 621,560. (No model.) Patented in England November 14, 1896, No. 25,668;

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MATTHEW HARRIS Bow- DEN, captain, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 25 Pevensey Road, Eastbourne, in the county of Sussex, England, have invented a new and useful Improved Shipwreck-Messenger, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 25,668, dated November 14:, 1896,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct improved floating wreck-messengers, for conveying information of wrecks and disasters of and to sea-going vessels to those interested on land, and in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Figure 1 is a deck plan; Fig. 2, a longitudinal side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the stern, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the tube and roller.

According to my invention I construct the hull of my improved messenger preferably of a form analogous to a model of a vessel or boat. The stern of the vessel, is square or thereabout, as shown in the drawings. From the stern forward I bore a hole, as shown at 6 in Fig. 1, longitudinally and insert therein a metallic tube 7 (shown separately in Fig. 4,) forming a chamber. The forward end of the tube has a metallic cover suitably secured thereto. The stern end of the tube is 'soldered to a plate 9, this plate being secured to the stern of the vessel, as shown in Fig. 3. The stern end of the tube is screw-threaded internally to receive the externally-screwthreaded plug 10, whereby the chamber is rendered perfectly water-tight. The tube is fitted into the bore and secured by the plate 9. A small wooden roller 11 is provided for insertion in the chamben'around which rod the ships log or a copy thereof or any information written upon paper or the like may be rolled and together inserted in the tube. The hull of the messenger is made of solid wood, preferably pine, and is entirely covered externally with, preferably, Muntzs yellow metal to protect it when afloat and also to render it conspicuous.

" Upon the deck I fix a metallic plate 12, Fig. 1, upon which is engraved such a message as the following: Whoever finds this boat, look in the stern-tube for an abstract log, which please forward to Lloyds, underwriters, London, or any other suitable directions.

The boat is suitably ballasted to prevent its capsizing and to keep the deck-plate in view at all times while floating. A metallic handle 13 is also fitted to the boat to enable any person on a passing vessel to raise the messenger by means of a boat-hook or analogous appliance, and thus save the trouble and risk of launching a boat for the purpose.

IV hen the boat has been recovered from the Y sea, the screw-cap 10 is removed by means of a key, such as that shown at 14, or by a pair of round-nosed pliers or other suitable tool and the log removed to be forwarded, as above described.

. I claim The herein-described shipwreck-messenger consisting of a boat-shaped hull suitably ballasted and having a horizontal bore within its body extending from the stern end thereof to near the bow, a metallic tube secured within said bore, a cap or cover adapted to be screwed into the open end of said tube, and an exposed identification plate or tablet mounted upon the deck side of the messenger, substantially as described.

Dated this 23d clay of December, 1896.

MATTHEW IIARRIS BOWDEN. Witnesses:

J os. STEPHENS,

FREDERICK J. WYATT. 

